Awarded annually to just five American restaurants, past winners have included White House Subs in 2000, also in A.C., and, last year, another Jersey classic, Mustache Bill's Diner, in Barnegat Light.
For Chef Vola's legions of fans, the Espositos' national recognition is no surprise. "A lot of places claim to be a 'family restaurant,' but at Chef Vola's you really feel like you're part of the family. Best veal Milanese I've ever had," said Medford, N.J.'s, Lauralee Dobbins. She's been tucking in at Chef Vola's for nearly 20 years.
Esposito, who along with her husband hails from South Philly (she's 13th and Packer, he's 21st and Snyder), spent two days in Manhattan leading up to the May 9 awards, rubbing elbows with the likes of celeb chefs Emeril and Bobby Flay, hobnobbing at fancy cocktail parties and even strutting down the red carpet before the big show at Lincoln Center in New York.
The family was photographed (Louise bought a new gown for the occasion), interviewed and, when the time came, got up in front of 1,600 people to relay a one-minute thank-you speech.
"Cameras are going, I'm trying to stand up straight, look taller, keep smiling, say the right thing," Louise Esposito said. "It was all like a dream. Everyone was so wonderful to us. It was really something."
Esposito was still flying high the weekend after the awards in the face of a typical Friday night crowd at the restaurant she's owned with her family since 1982. The effusive one in the partnership, Louise is out front greeting the guests, many by name, many with a standing reservation each week. She manages the staff, juggles the reservations and keeps a close eye on the food coming out of the kitchen.
